Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-07-24
WHAT BAKER SAID.
The NEW CUMBERLAND TRIAL
Story of the Murder as Told BY the
Prisoner.
THE JURY GOES TO THE cove
An Affecting Scene-The Prisoners Father
Present.

terday morning at the usual hour. Th'
attendance was not so large as on previous
days, the impression generally prevailing
that no important witnesses would be in
trOduced by the State. However, no tes
timony was more intently listened to thar
that of Daniel McCloud. He told the pris
oner's story as he heard it from his OWL
lips, and whatever explanation Baker car
make of his whereabouts on the day of tho
murder is substantially given. 1t is evi
dent that the tale has many weak place:
in it, and something more plausible
will be necessary to clear the prisoner o.
the dark cloud of suspicion that is hanging
over him.
Judge Boyd took occasion to speak to the
audience of the impropriety of making any
comments upon the testimony in the court
room. 1t is claimed that since the tria
began certain persons have expressed them
selves unfavorably towards the prisoner in
the hearing of the jury. 1t is thought,
however, that there was no intention OF
desire to influence the members of that
body. The matter will probably be
dropped.
Baker came in the room looking rather
pale and tired. He was accompanied by
his son who was present yesterday. He
took seat by his father and listened
closely to the testimony. The prisoner
looked over the morning paper and ex-
pressed much dissatisfaction as to the re-
ports of the trial. He complains that they
persist in giving accounts unfavorable to
him; and they are part of conspiracy to
secure his conviction. He continued to
make suggestions to his counsel during
the whole morning and watched all the
points of the case with the intenseSt inter-
est. The testimony OF one witness, he re-
marked to your correspondent, was lie
from the beginning to the end; and he
would prove it so Before the trial was over.
ALONZO KNOTS
recalled said: | saw Baker come down of
of the hill about three o'clock; few min.
utes before this saw Mrs. Swearingen and
Mrs. Brown going up the road in buggy
about from ten to fifteen minutes before.
LYsANDER PATTERSON
recalled. The maps of the McWha prem
ises were produced. Witness pointed out
the track buggy would take from the
hitching post TO the front OF the McWha
house. From the hitching post TO the
northwest corner of the commons is 305
feet; from that point to Depning's 42l feet;
thence to the corner of the McWha proper
ty is HI feet; thence to the front gate is
63 feet; from the last point to the Wilcox
property is l66 feet; from there to the rail-
road crossing is 23l feet; thence to Heg.e's s
house is SO feet; from that point to VIM.
Browns house CSC feet; thence to the Pan
Handle railroad 56i feet; from the hitch
ing post at tie McWha property to VIM.
Browns house is 3,l6i feet; the distance
from the railroad crossing to tha bridge he.
yond Wm. Browns is 3, 035 feet; the map
is made on scale Of 80 feet to the inch;
the land around the McWha property is
nearly level. The plan of the McWha
house was produced. The first kitchen
window is , feet 5 inches from the ground;
the second one is 2 feet inches from the
ground; from thskitchen door TO the pump
is distance of 10 feet.
MRS. WILCOXSON
said: Kow where Mrs. McWha lived on
first of last May; we lived on the left hand
side of the road going up and above Mrs.
McWha's; was well acquainted with the
murdered woman; the last time visited
there was when Mrs. Bakers child died
could see them every day from where
lived; saw Mrs. Baker Monday working
about the yard, and also saw.her washing;
did not see the clothes on the line; the
ground is steep from our house up to their
kitchen; Mrs. Baker had dark green
dress that she wore mostly in the after
noon this was the dress found in the tub {;
Mrs. Baker usually attended TO the out
door work; did not see Mrs. McWha that
day; know Mrs. Brown and Mrs Swear
niger; saw them between three and four
o'clock on Monday going up the road; saw
the prisoner that day; he was going up the
road that morning; saw him going up to
the station between two and three o'clock
it was after saw Mrs. Brown and Swear
niger 20 up; do not know whether he went
off of the road or not; he was carrying a
small satchel; could see the old line of
railway from where l lived; |
4,
saw the prisoner coming down the
road on Tuesday morning between eight
ana nine o'clock; he was walking; he was
passing the front of our house; did not see
any one with him; had not heard of the
murder of the women before he passed ;
Judging from the amount of work did, il
was twenty-eight minutes after he passed
before heard the cry of murder; would
not take more than five minutes to walk
to his house.
Cross examination-I was in the sitting
room when he passed; / saw Herman
Campbell near Baker when he passed; can
see up the road from our house; did not
look up the road on Monday afternoon;
saw Mrs. Baker out where they were trim
ming the trees; Mrs. Baker put on the
green dress rs an afternoon dress; put it
on after work was done
Redirect examiDatiOn-Just heard Baker
cry murder" The green dress found in
the tub was shown and identified as Mrs.
Bakers; she was in the habit of wearing
it in the afternoon.
SILAS MCCONNELL
said: Live at Steubenville; am employed
as civil engineer on the Pittsburg, Cincin-
natl and ST. Louis Railroad. 1t is about
eight-teuths of a mile from the junction
to the Station; there is fill ON the new
road of about fourteen feet; the bridge was
completed May 9th; the fill to it was not
completed then; there was ladder up to
the bridge about height of twelve feet.
A. J. wHCoXON
sworn: Was working hauling brush on
the 9th of May last; working on the new
railroad; saw Baker in the forenoon; he
was in the orchard where we were chop
ping; saw him about four o'clock in the
afternoon; he was about middle way across
the field, going to the new railroad; did
not see him come from the pike; he spoke
to me and asked me if be had time for the
four o'clock train; looked at my watch
and told him he had twenty minutes; the
time carried was about an hour faster
than the time used on the road here; don
know whether he had q watch or not, saw
a chain though; / was riding on horse
and did not look back to watch him.
Cross-examination-M Baker coming
acros the field; never saw him going that
way before; he came in my direction;
told him the time. don't know of any path